Wall-attachment means for electrical devices



Dec. 29 1925- H. R. SARGENT WALL ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR ELECTRICAL DEVICES 2 M, gJ M 1x 3. m M e R s F N 9 1% W m .FM Fi 4.

Fatentecll Dec. 1925.

HQWARD B. SAEGENT, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- rare COMPANY,

CORPDRATION NEW YORK.

Application filed February To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HOWARD R. SAnsnN'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairlield, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements in l i all iittachment Means for Electrical Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric house wiring, and more especially to flush wall receptacles, switches, etc.

Fush wall electric devices are generally installed in sheet steel boxes secured in the wall and the device attached to the front edge thereof by screws passing through at taching lugs on the device and en aging threaded ears on the box. Formerly the attaching lugs were made relatively small and the finish wall plates were hollowed out at the back thereof to fit over the relatively small switch lugs. Much dilficulty has always been experienced in getting the switch boxes installed properly to align with the surface of the plaster when completed. It has accordingly been the practice during recent years to provide the electric wall de vices with ears having side enlargements or wings so that they may bear against the surface of the plaster and thereby automatically and correctly position the electric device, irrespective of the position of its box.

lit has been found, however, that the enlarged attachment lugs are sometimes objectionable, such as the failure of old forms of finish plates to fit thereover, or other nearby devices to interfere therewith.

V The object, of my invention is to provide an improved electric device attacl'unent ear of the enlarged or winged type that can be converted with facility to the small or old type of lug. I

Qne form of the invention is shown in. the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a front elevation of a wall switch p1 ovided with my improved attachment ears and mounted in its Wall box, the finish plate being shown broken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the wall and sheet metal. finish plate shown in vertical section; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a switch bridge piece with each end provided with an integral attachment ear with the winged enlargement removed, and Fig. 4 is a view '13, 1324. Serial No. 692,606.

similar to Fig. 2 with an old form of solid finish plate in place thereon.

The sheet metal switch box 1 shown is provided at each end with a bracket 2 with two countersink holes for reception of the screws 3 whereby it is secured to the framework 4: of the house wall, and it also has a threaded ear 5 adapted to be engaged by the screw 6 whereby the switch 7 is attached to the box. 'lhis is but an example of well known box constructions.

The wall switch 7 has secured to each end an attachment ear 8 and, as shown in the drawing, the ears are integral with the switch bridge piece 9 to wich the switch base 10 is directly attached.

The ears 8 are each provided with an integral winged extension 11 whereby the hearing area presented by the lugs to the plaster surface 12 is greatly enlarged and thereby avoiding any tendency of the plaster to crush when the holding screws 6 are turned home.

The winged extensions 11 are in the shape of round-ended blades, each formed with a side notch 13 extending to about the longitudinal axis thereof, and it is integrally attached to the outer end of the lug 8 at the inner edge of its notch 18. In order that the extension 11 may be, when desired, readily broken off from the lug 8, the metal is weakened by scoring it along a line 14: at or near the point of attachment. By reason of the line of weakening being through or adjacent the center of the winged extension, there will beno tendency for it to bend rela tive to the lug 8 when the latter is put under tension by the turning up of the attachment screw 6.

The finish plate 15, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is of the sheet metal type in general use and is adapted to be held to the switch by screws 16 passing through it and'engaging tapped holes in the bridge piece 9. Owing to its struck-up formation, the plate has .1 rear cavity in which the lugs 8 and their extension wings 11 are freely received while the edge 17 of the plate closely engages the surface of the plaster 12.

When a wall switch or other electrical device, provided with the improved lugs, is to be installed with a solid finish plate 15', as shown in Fig. 4, or whenever the winged extensions 11 would interfere with other parts, they may be removed by bend ng back and forth about the scored portion 14. The bridge piece with its reduced lugs 8 is shown in Fig. 3.-

l/Vith the lugs 8 deprived of the winged extensions ll, it is necessary to provide supporting means therefor, since the plastered surface is no longer available for that purpose. Accordingly, l have shown in Fig. 4: nutlocks mounted on the attachment screws 6 and 'provided with'bent-up tips l9 which project tl'irough' apertures 20 in the lugs as shown and described at length in my Patent No. 1,178,040, February 22, 1916.

While I have shown and describedthe best embodiment of the invention known to me, I do not desire to be restricted thereto. hVhat ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. The combination with an electrical device having supportinglugsprojecting yond its ends for use in mountingit in an outlet box, of integral extensions on said lugs adapted to engage the surface of a wall when the device is mounted in an outlet box in the wall, the line of connection between the lugs and extensions being weakened whereby the. extensions may be severed rea lily from the lugs.

2; An electrical wiring device having pro jedting lugs at its ends, said lugs being provided with openings for use in mounting the device in an outlet box, and readily re movable wall-engaging extensions carried by said lugs beyond said openings.

3. Means for use in mounting an electrical device in an outlet box, including an attachment lug; provided with an opening to receive fastening means for use in attaching the lug to an outlet box, and a readily removable wall-engaging extension carried by said lug beyond said opening,

4. An attachment lug for electrical devices for use in mounting' an electrical device in an outlet box, said lug having an opening to receive a fastening means for attachingit to an outlet box and being provided at one side of said opening with means for use in attaching it to an electrical de vice, and at the other side of said opening with removable means.

5. Means for use in mounting an electrical device in an outlet box, including an attachmcnt lughaving an opening to receive a fastening means for attaching it to a box, and a winged extension integrally united thereto, the line of connection between the extension and the lug being weakened whereby the extension may be broken off readily to leave the lug portion with the opening, for the fastening means,

6. A bridge piece for electrical devices, the ends of which term lugs provided with openings adapted to be used when attaching the bridge piece to an outlet box, and re movable wall-engaging means carried by said lugs beyond said openings.

7. A bridge piece for electrical devices, the ends of which form lugs provided with openings adapted to be used when attaching the bridge piece to an outlet box, and readily removable wall-engaging extensions car ried by said lugs beyond said openings.

8. A bridge piece for electrical devices, the ends of which form lugs provided with openings adapted for use in attaching the bridge piece to an outlet box, and winged extensions connected to said lugs, the line of connection between the lugs and extensions readil wall-en 'a 'm b b 2::

'being relatively weak whereby the extensions may be severed readily from the lugs.

In witness whereot, L have hereunto set my hand this 11th day oi February 1924-. HUlWALRD SARGEl l'l. 

